Your Family & the Child Tax Credit

What Pennsylvanians Need To Know

The Need for The Child Tax Credit Expansion

May 2021: 13% Of Children in PA Were Considered Poor

According to the White House American Families Plan State Fact Sheet for Pennsylvania, “There are 339,000 or 13 percent of children under the age of 18 in Pennsylvania who are considered poor. The American Families Plan will bolster financial security and spur economic growth in Pennsylvania by reducing taxes on the middle class and those striving to break into it.”

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An Average Two-Parent Household in PA Would Need to Spend 11% of Income on Childcare

According to the American Families Plan State Fact Sheet for Pennsylvania, “The average annual cost of a child care center for a toddler in Pennsylvania is $11,400, meaning that a two-parent household would on average need to spend 11 percent of their income to afford care for one child every year. The lack of affordable child care also makes it more difficult for women to remain in their jobs, contributing to the 14 percent gender gap in workforce participation between mothers and fathers in Pennsylvania.”

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381,000 Adults with Children in PA Reported Not Having Enough Food To Eat

According to the White House American Families Plan State Fact Sheet for Pennsylvania, “701,000 adults – 9% of all adults in the state – report not having enough food to eat. This includes 381,000 adults living with children, or 14% of all adults living with children, who report that the children in their household do not have enough to eat.”

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Child Tax Credit Basics

Couples With Children Who Make Less Than $150,000 And Single Parents Who Make Less Than $112,500 Qualify

According to the White House’ Child Tax Credit Website, “Nearly all families with kids will qualify. Some income limitations apply. For example, only couples making less than $150,000 and single parents (also called Head of Household) making less than $112,500 will qualify for the additional 2021 Child Tax Credit amounts. Families with high incomes may receive a smaller credit or may not qualify for any credit at all. For more detail on the phase-outs for higher-income families, see “How much will I receive in Child Tax Credit payments?”

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Pays Monthly Payments Of $300 For Every Claimed Child Under 6 And $250 For Every Claimed Child 6-17 Years Old

According to the White House, “Monthly payments starting in July: For the first time, people will receive the Child Tax Credit in monthly payments. For every child 6-17 years old, families will get $250 each month, and for every child under 6 years old, families will get $300 each month.”

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How It Helps Pennsylvania

Projected to "Benefit 2,363,000 Children in PA — Including 814,000 Children of Color

According to the White House American Families Plan State Fact Sheet for Pennsylvania, “The American Families Plan will extend through 2025 the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit (CTC) increases to $3,000 per child 6-years old and above and $3,600 per child under 6. It will also make the credit fully refundable so that low-income families can now receive the same credit as middle-income families. This extension will benefit 2,363,000 children in Pennsylvania, including 814,000 children of color. This proposal is estimated to lift 137,000 children out of poverty in Pennsylvania and reduce child poverty in the state by 43 percent.”

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Expected to Lift 140,000 Children Out of Poverty

According to the White House American Rescue Plan Pennsylvania Fact Sheet, “Additional relief of up to $1,600 per child through the Child Tax Credit to the families of 2,368,000 children, lifting 140,000 children out of poverty.”

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Expected to Reduce Child Poverty in PA by 43%

According to the White House American Families Plan State Fact Sheet for Pennsylvania, “The American Families Plan will extend through 2025 the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit (CTC) increases to $3,000 per child 6-years old and above and $3,600 per child under 6. It will also make the credit fully refundable so that low-income families can now receive the same credit as middle-income families. This extension will benefit 2,363,000 children in Pennsylvania, including 814,000 children of color. This proposal is estimated to lift 137,000 children out of poverty in Pennsylvania and reduce child poverty in the state by 43 percent.”

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How Does Someone Sign-up for the Child Tax Credit?

IRS Non-Filer Sign-up Tool

For people who are not required to file a 2020 tax return, didn’t file one and don’t plan to; and have a main home in the United States for more than half of the year.

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Child Tax Credit Update Portal

  • Check if you’re enrolled to receive advance payments
  • Unenroll to stop getting advance payments
  • Provide or update your bank account information
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Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant

Check if you might be eligible for advance payments of the Child Tax Credit.

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Official White House Child Tax Credit Website

The Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan provides the largest Child Tax Credit ever and historic relief to the most working families ever — learn more about this amazing benefit.

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